Photo: Annika Byrde/NTB/AFP/Getty
Per BBC, Erik Holmorganized an online campaign to raise funds for the project, receiving a total of $25,000.
Holm told the news outlet AFP, “I started this because I’m furious about the way the [Norwegian] Fisheries Directorate and the state handled this situation.”
Freya had been a tourist attraction off Norway’s coast for years but became a social media star in the summer of 2022 when she begansinking boats searching for the ideal sunbathing spot.
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But last August, officials decided to put the 1300-lb. walrus down after observing the animal’s interactions with the public and deciding “that the public has disregarded the current recommendation to keep a clear distance to the walrus.” The decision to euthanize the animal was controversial due to the admiration Freya had won for her commitment to relaxation.
Artist Astri Tonoian told CNN ofher inspiration for the sculpture, “In my head, my goal was to make an immortal symbol of people’s ability to mistreat not just wildlife but also humans.”
Tonoian added that she hopes the statue will serve as a “three-dimension history lesson.”
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“This is how humans treat wild nature, but it is also how humans treat humans,” said Tonoian, according to BBC. “This is how we treated Freya. And so, I will call the statue For Our Sins.”
Tonoian also told CNN about the circumstances surrounding Freya’s euthanasia, “The authorities could have acted more quickly and tried to move her instead of shooting her. They waited too long, and it became dangerous for the people. They decided to do the ‘quick fix.'”
Director General Frank Bakke-Jensen of Norway’s Directorate of Fisheries told CNN before that they considered other options. However, “the extensive complexity of such an operation made us conclude that this was not a viable option.” He added, “We have great regard for animal welfare, but human life and safety must take precedence.”
source: people.com
